The Gravastar Mars Pro V2 is a cool mech-themed Bluetooth speaker with impressive sound

I’m a self-professed science fiction geek. I love everything from Afro-futurism to speculative fiction to giant robot anime, so when I received a pitch from Gravastar to test their new kit, I was definitely interested. Upon reviewing the website, I noticed that they offer various keyboards, mice, and Bluetooth speakers, all futuristic, mech-themed hardware.

Often, the problem with collectibles is that they can be “low-hanging fruit.” I love interesting hoodies, and I have plenty of them. A famous DJ has his own line of licensed hoodies and prints various anime drops with gorgeous graphics on those hoodies. However, the cost often does not match the build quality of the hoodies. So, I was in love with the bold graphics, but very much underwhelmed by the construction and weight of the hoodies.

With that said, I had two primary concerns about checking out the Gravastar Mars Pro V2 Bluetooth speaker: Would the build quality be trash? Would Gravastar focus on aesthetics, to the detriment of the sound quality?

After running that speaker on my desktop setup connected to two different computers and a Google Pixel 9 via Bluetooth and wired for a few weeks, I have my answers — and they come with good news!

Built like a giant robot!

There are video games and manga/anime "mechs," giant, pilot-driven robots like Voltron or Evangelion. Then there's the Gravastar Mars Pro V2, which is mech-themed, but aesthetically speaking, it’s more like tech out of a Terminator movie.

Weighing just over 2 lbs., this round speaker with a zinc alloy shell has a reassuring heft. It feels like a high-quality collectible. That’s important because at $200, which is occasionally on sale, you would have some serious buyer’s remorse if the Gravastar Mars Pro V2 felt “plasticky” and low-quality.

The speaker’s main body and legs are equipped with beautifully placed, vibrant RGB lights that offer six different solid colors, a gradient mode that cycles through the colors, and a music sync mode.

These are controlled right from a button on the back of the speaker, where most controls are located. I'll note that the music sync mode is merely okay. The lights pulse and vibrate close to the beat of whatever you’re listening to. I found the gradient color cycle mode to be much more pleasing.

The legs offer some basic articulation, which allows the speaker to be elevated, minimizing surface vibrations and ultimately producing better sonics. Small rubber bumpers on the outstretched legs’ contact surfaces help dampen those vibrations.

You’ll find the touch-sensitive volume controls that work like a charm at the top of the speaker body. Responsive to touch, and the lighting follows responsively as well, stepping through volume levels as you slide your finger along the strip.

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With the Mars Pro V2 in front of you, the 20-watt, dual-speaker system features a 2.5” full-range speaker and a 1” high-frequency tweeter.

The RGB lighting on the front not only throws light at you but also beautifully illuminates the speaker behind a honeycomb metal grill, as seen in the second slide in the gallery above. Even in full daylight, with windows open and sunlight saturating your room, those RGB lights are bright with bold, rich colors.

There’s a passive bass radiator, similar to what Sony did with the Field 1 Bluetooth speaker that I reviewed. That's on the rear, and above that, there are three control buttons: one for pairing, another for power, and the third controls lighting options.

Everything about the Gravastar Mars Pro V2's aesthetics says, “high-quality geek collectible.” That said, aesthetics aren’t everything. They may bode well for the rest of the experience, but a pretty chassis doesn’t guarantee beautiful sound. So, let’s get to the listening experience.

Function as solid as form

The Gravastar Mars Pro V2 Bluetooth speaker is more than a pretty gimmick. The sound quality is surprisingly good for a speaker this size, which looks so good and is so niche.

I connected the speaker to my iMac Pro via Bluetooth, then a Google Pixel 9, and a Microsoft Surface Pro 11 via Bluetooth and the supplied USB-C to 3.5mm cable, which connects to the USB-C port on the bottom of the speaker. The placement of the port is an interesting decision, and if you're going to leave it plugged in, you'll want to consider a USB-C with a right angle. Alternatively, you can spend a few dollars more and buy their bundle that includes the mech-themed charging base/stand.

I tried that same wired connection with a different 3.5mm cable, and it didn’t work, so be aware of that.

For a 20-watt speaker with only a passive bass radiator, the Gravastar Mars Pro V2 produces bright highs, punchy mids, and desk-rattling bass response. That said, due to the physics involved, you aren’t going to get much in the way of sub-bass. Playing Skrillex’s “Mumbai Power” and JID’s “Bruuuh - Remix” hit me with desk vibrating bass reproduction that was entertaining and appeased my inner bass head.

The intense sub-bass that both songs are known for is flat, but that’s to be expected. I find that issue with any of the smaller Bluetooth speakers we've tested that don't have an active subwoofer.

The technical quality of your music files will impact the clarity and nuance reproduced by the Mars Pro. I played audiophile-grade FLAC files with the Surface Pro and Pixel 9, and the speaker gave me admirable sonic images. “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes” and “Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga” from the “Get Out” OST both had satisfying soundstages that gave a strong sense of depth and texture. The latter song’s haunting lyrical performance was bright and clear, with an engrossingly dark, resonant bassline.

As for GravaStar’s claims of this being the perfect speaker for audiophiles? Some audiophiles will most certainly debate that claim. The Sonics lack the subtle nuance in the mids that audiophiles would typically look for. “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album has barely discernible backing vocals in its intro that, with audiophile-grade kit, are much better represented during playback.

With the Mars Pro, if you didn’t know that element was there in the mix, you’d miss it. The overall sound signature of the Mars Pro V2 is warmer in the bass and mids, with more emphasis on those frequencies than the highs. Listening to lower-quality, lower data files like MP3s further exposes this tuning.

The “mech” experience

I mentioned the lighting experience earlier, but the rest of the futuristic mech experience is equally enjoyable and polished as most of the light show. Powering up the speaker makes a neat tone like a mech coming online. The same is true when powering down. When the battery starts running low, I get a verbal “Not enough energy” warning, with vocal notifications that are high quality and entirely on theme for the product. There are plenty of various mech sounds, beeps, and digital sound effects.

Speaking of “not enough energy,” you’ll likely get the full battery life of 15 hours that Gravastar advertises, but the volume at which you play sound, and some other factors like genre (bass-heavy in particular), will affect that battery life.

As good as this single speaker sounds, I’d love to hear two playing together, which you can do through smart connection options. There’s a TWS (True Stereo Sound) mode, allowing you to connect two and playback audio with stereo fidelity. A Party Mode also allows you to daisy-chain multiple Mars Pro V2s for amplified sound.

The GravaStar Mars Pro V2 wouldn’t be complete without a full set of collectible-grade desktop accessories. Their Mercury K1 Pro keyboard with RGB lighting and that spider-like, hunter-killer drone design language would be a lot of fun as part of a themed setup. Their M1 Pro mouse follows a similar aesthetic but with a ribbed, see-through, skeletal look that is quite appealing in the images I’ve seen.

A cool high-quality speaker

For those looking to create a futuristic, mech-themed desktop experience in their gaming room, office, or wherever, a Gravastar Mars Pro V2, or two, would be a high-quality addition. You can even purchase a themed charging cradle for the speaker to sit on, so it’s always ready to go. That said, I would love to see a plug-in version of the V2 that you don’t have to turn on every time you turn your computer on.